An Insider’s Guide To Sandbanks
From unexplored beaches and where to land the best crab sandwich, to what to do if it rains: Visit the real Sandbanks this summer.
The past decade has seen various headlines proclaiming Sandbanks in south Dorset as an exclusive playground, frequented by millionaires and owners of waterfront manors pertaining to be some of the dearest in the world.
Yet, as someone who has weekended on that narrow sandy spit for almost 20 years, I feel duty bound to warn those seeking glamorous eateries and daily sand polo matches - they’ll likely be disappointed.
Across The Bay
Nestled between Europe’s largest natural harbour of Poole - with its pretty Georgian townhouses and historic quay - and The Solent, Sandbanks is, by contrast, all white sandy beaches and Hamptons-style wood-panelling. Just across the bay however lies an expanse of lowland heath, where famed sand dunes run into a peaty landscape of some 1,000 hectares of gorse and heather.
Immortalised by the author Thomas Hardy, the heath is home to the Dartford warbler and timorous native reptiles, as well as two of Britain’s rarest insects, the heath tiger beetle and the Purbeck mason wasp.
The Devil’s Rock
Also accessible just across the short stretch of water, is the sculptural Agglestone Rock, a 400-tonne piece of sandstone, known locally as ‘Aggie’. Legend has it that the devil himself hurled the rock across from the nearby Isle of Wight, with the hope of striking nearby Corfe Castle or Bindon Abbey. Lucifer had a poor throw it seems, as Aggie landed just a mile from Studland, where she remains, perched impressively on the crest of a hillock.
Sail Away
Hiring a kayak or paddleboard to explore the harbourside of the peninsula is easy, and with a shallow depth of three to four feet, relatively foolproof too. The Watersports Academy serve up morning espresso, before experienced local instructors hand over paddles and impart tide times, whilst fastening life jackets.
For those seeking a more luxurious means of travel, there is also the 44-foot catamaran named Haven Star. Gawp up at the chalk cliffs of Old Harry Rocks, before dropping anchor at one of the remote inlets for a refreshing dip. Keen sailors may wish to join owner Dave Hartwell at the helm, but I recommend lazing at the bow whilst looking for bottlenose dolphins in the swells.
Famed Beaches
The soft sand and uninterrupted views across to the Purbeck Hills and Isle of Wight, make the Blue Flag beach of Sandbanks a tantalising prospect. In sight of those famed, glass-fronted beach houses, it is here beside Victorian beach huts that the annual Beach Polo tournament takes place each summer.
Particularly in July and August, rather than jostle for a sunbathing spot on the peninsula itself, pop a sandwich and chilled bottle of rosé into a knapsack, and venture across the bay, to Studland.
Reached via the family-run historic chain ferry, the queue for motors is arduous (and parking scarce), so best to go on foot, or, for the ultimate view of that four-mile stretch of sandy beach, known as Shell Bay, take a seat up top on the open-deck bus, that departs from the front of the ferry queue.
Shell Bay is a glorious walk in any weather, as is Bramble Bush Bay on the other side, with its historic house boats and shallow bathing. If feeling lazy, stay on board until the village itself, where the footpath to Middle Beach begins. Before setting off, pay a visit to the village post office for ice cream or a box of creamy fudge to nibble on during the hike up to Old Harry.
'Seen from the west, the Wight is beautiful beyond all laws of beauty. It is as if a fragment of England floated forward to greet the foreigner - chalk of our chalk, turf of our turf, epitome of what will follow.'
- E.M. Forster
Catch of the day
Sandbanks-side, the small village of Lillput offers essential supplies and local favourite TJ’s Fish & Chips (I recommend telephoning ahead with your order), and early birds might be lucky enough to bag a much-prized bench atop Evening Hill, to observe the sun set over the harbour and the island of Brownsea.
As the gleaming row of historic marques out front will attest, Rick Stein on Sandbanks brings a well-heeled weekend crowd. Occupying a prime spot, the floor to ceiling windows of the main restaurant overlook the moored vessels of the harbour and the outdoor terrace makes for ideal nosing before sitting down to a plate of sole a la meunière and a glass of white Burgundy). The menu and service is more relaxed in the bar, but best dust off your boat shoes nevertheless.
Serving that morning’s catch fresh from local boats, The Shell Bay restaurant is my number one recommendation for lunch, or an easy going dinner, or - quite frankly - both. Reached from the peninsula via the chain ferry, or, by private boat into the restaurant’s own jetty, the crab is fresh, the rosé Provençal, and the views over to Brownsea island, just heaven. Just be sure not to miss the last ferry home!
The wooden recliners and outdoor pizza ovens at The Pig On The Beach too are the ideal setting to sample a chilled Purbeck Cider and some ‘piggy bits’, before a wobbly bicycle back onto the ferry.
What To Pack
As is often the case with the most revered destinations, it is that feeling of ease and simplicity that add to their appeal: So to with Sandbanks.
A pair of cut off denim shorts, an oversized shirt and cosy cashmere jumper for evening, are all you need pack, as well as a trusty waterproof for boats and in case of English showers! So too a pair of willing plimsoles for bicycling into the village or non-sandy walks.
A pair of wedge espadrilles and floaty summer dress are a welcome addition, but be sure to swap your usual bag for a cotton tote or basket. After a day spent with your feet in the sand, devouring honeycomb Purbeck ice cream, clean hair and a few extra freckles are the only accessories you’re likely to need.
In case of rain
Nothing is guaranteed, but it could be said Sandbanks is even lovelier outside of July and August, as the majority of visitors pack up and there’s a general sense of exhalation. Late spring and early autumn offer good weather, with the water - arguably - warm enough to paddle. I recommend bringing a piping flask of tea with your towel, or, better still, settling in with a pie and pint fireside, beneath the oak beams of The Square and Compass.
Roundhead enthusiasts might venture on to the picturesque village of Corfe, with its famed hilltop castle, picturesque steam railway station and wisteria-covered thatch cottages. The inspiration behind many an Enid Blyton story, it was also a filming location for Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks, starring national treasure Angela Lansbury.
Even simply hunkering down indoors with a jigsaw of the castle, pot of fresh earl grey and slab of that creamy fudge, pretty much beats a day anywhere else.
